Feeder for tile and sewer-pipe machines



(No Model.)

' J. S. SMITH.

FEEDER FOR TILE AND SEWER PIPE MACHINES.

No. 296,236. Patented Apr. 1, 1884.

WITNESSES N4 Pninsfnmwuum w, Wuhinglon. n. c.

LATENT @rrrcs.

JOHN S. SMITH, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

FEEDER FOR TILE AND SEWER-PIPE MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,236, dated April 1, 1884.

' Application filed January 29, 1884. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, J OHN S. SMITH, of J ackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigamhave invented a new and useful Iinprovement in Feeders for Tile and Sewer-Pipe Machines, of which the following is a specification.

In the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the feeder of a steam-pressure tile-machine, and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

The same letters are employed in both figures in the indication of identical parts.

The feeder is illustrated as applied to the supplying of the cylinder X of asteam-press nre sewer pipe machine. Such machines have heretofore been fed by hand, two workmen being usually employed in feeding the clay to the pressure-cylinder of such machines. The clay, in proper condition, is raised by the endlessbelt elevator A and poured upon the inclined endless apron B, which travels slowly around drums at either end and carries the clay to the endless apron F, placed at a right angle to it, which apron F carries it and delivers it into the cylinder of the steam-press. Power is applied to the pulley G on shaft G, which carries the pulley F and gives a speed to the endless apron F (encircling the two twin pulleys F) of about six hundred feet per minute. The apron 13 moves slowly-say with aspeed of fifteen feet per, minute-and is actuated by a belt, F on pulleys on the shafts E and D, properly proportioned to give the reduced speed desired. The shaft D communicates motion to the bevel-wheel O on the shaft of the lower drum of the conveyor B by means of a double clutch, D, engaging one or the other of the bevel-pi'nions as it is shifted by its hand-lever, in the ordinary manner. The operator, by shifting the lever, may cause the endless apron to carry its load up or down, and this is provided for in order to stop the feed of clay to the cylinder at the time when the plunger is forcing the clay through the die on the cylinder to form a section of pipe. When this has been accomplished, the apron B is made to feed down the clay upon the apron F. When the cylinder is filled, the movement of the apron may be stopped or reversed, and

to this end the elevator A should be arranged to deliver the clay midway of the apron B, so

that the latter may ascend while the cylinder full of clay is being discharged. 7

The surface of the apron F is smooth, no cleats being used, and therefore the tendency of the apron is to outrun the clay, which will therefore be gathered into balls on its surface, and moving rapidly toward the cylinder when the apron curves down around the drum, the tendency oftheballs ofclaywill beto flyoffonthe tangent of the curve, and so they will be hurled with considerable force into the cylinder, thus filling it not only rapidly but compactly, the impetus causing the clay to pack in the cylinder. To prevent the clay from being thrown over the cylinder, a shield (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1) is placed over the cylinder, facing the apron.

The apron B should preferably be wider than the apron F, as it moves much more slowly. A series of friction-rollers may be placed underneath the apron F, to support it when the clay falls onto it from the apron B.

It should be understood that the speeds stated are given approximately, being such as I have found practically efficient, In practicing my invention I have been able to dispense with the two men formerly required for filling the cylinder, and substitute a boy to operate the lever and control the feeding-apron B, and

have also increased the amount of work done in a given time by onethird. p v The essential part of my invention is the rapidly-rotating apron F, arranged to ball and hurl the clay into the cylinder of the press. The

other parts indicated for feeding the clay to this apron may be modified variously without affecting the principle of my invention. By a rapidly-rotating apron I mean one moving with sufficient velocity to form the clay into balls and hurl them into the cylinder.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the pressure-cylinder of a tile or sewer-pipe machine, a rapidlyrotating endless belt arranged in such relation to the cylinder of the press that when the apron descends around its pulley the clay carried on the face of the apron shall be hurled by its centrifugal force into the open mouth of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the cylinder of a tile machine, the endless apron F, feeding-apron B, and reversible drum carrying the upper secing drum, bevel pinions G C, and double tion of the latter alternately toward and from clutch D, for reversing the movement of the the former apron, substantially as set forth. apron or stopping the same, substantially as 3. In combination, the cylinder or chamber set forth. 1 5 to be fed, the rapidly-rotating apron F, and WVitness my hand in the presence of two I 5 the apron B, supplying clay to the apron F, subscribing Witnesses. and mechanism imparting an intermittent mo- JOHN S. SMITH.

tion to the apron B, substantially as set forth. In presence of- 4. The combination of the endless apron B, J No. G. MUNDY,

10 the bevel-wheel 0 upon the shaft of its driv- JOSEPH H. COBB. 

